The Power of Vision

FMG was founded by three practice group leaders of one of the South’s largest litigation firms. Since its beginning with eight attorneys, FMG has become one of the nation’s premier litigation firms.

Who We Are

We are proud of our history and enjoy sharing our story. Our history is at the core of who we are and how we have become the law firm we are today.

On April 1, 1997, Ted Freeman, Ben Mathis, Bart Gary, Phil Savrin, Mary Anne Ackourey, and Dana Maine embarked on the adventure of starting a new law firm. Our founders believed that focused subject matter experience and a client-centered approach would produce efficient and superior outcomes for their clients.

In the beginning, our law practice centered largely on labor and employment law, construction law, and civil rights defense. As FMG grew, we continued to stay deeply rooted in our core practice areas but also expanded into commercial litigation, data privacy and cyber, financial services, professional liability, insurance coverage, appellate and catastrophic tort.

In addition to significant organic growth through the years, FMG celebrates and recognizes the legacy firms and lawyers who have joined us along the way. With each addition, we have been strengthened by the depth and quality of our new colleagues, and together, each time we became better than we were before.

Indeed, a fundamental tenant of our partners, staff, and administration is that we are “one office, one firm.” You will never hear us talk about a “main” office or “branch” office. Every FMG location is fully interrelated and connected with the rest by common professional commitments, intense professional values, superior work ethic, and a client-centered purpose based on the belief in a culture of service.

In 2008, we embarked on our expansion when Jack Hancock merged his firm with FMG and also brought us the unforgettable Bob Oliver whose story we hope you will take a moment to learn about. In 2013, we joined with our first group of lawyers outside of Georgia with the addition of Julie Marquis and her team in San Francisco. Our next group of new colleagues came to us from the Spector Gadon firm in Philadelphia and Tampa.

In 2017, we completed two mergers that doubled the size of our firm. First, Chad Weaver and his boutique financial services firm in Los Angeles joined us. Closely following was our merger in April of that year with the Gilbert Kelly firm, a venerable and highly respected firm that was over 75 years old and had offices throughout California. Led by Paul Bigley, this group of talented professionals added lawyers and staff in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento.

Our explosive growth continued in 2019 when the majority of the Boston office of LeClair Ryan joined our firm. Thereafter, we moved into Pittsburgh and then to Lexington, KY that same year.

During the pandemic of 2020, our growth did not stop. We opened in Providence, RI, and also opened in March in Cherry Hill, NJ with a team of lawyers and staff from Litchfield Cavo. Next, a group came from White and Williams and joined us in Newark.

In early 2021, we moved into Hartford, CT with a group from Ryan Ryan and DeLuca.

In December, 2021, we opened our Columbus, Ohio office initially with 7 lawyers followed by the opening of our Cleveland, Ohio office with the lawyers from Norchi Forbes.

In January 2022, we made our along awaited entry into Texas opening offices in Dallas and Houston with the attorneys from the firm of Seltzer, Chadwick & Soefje. In March, FMG went to Windy City opening an office in downtown Chicago.

Today, we are a national law firm of over 260 lawyers and another 150 administrative colleagues in 29 offices in fifteen states. We remain practice-focused with elite lawyers throughout the country comprising our ten national practice sections. We are committed to having unparalleled capabilities in the areas of law in which we concentrate our practice.

Our law firm has a well-deserved reputation as one composed of seasoned trial lawyers capable of successfully representing clients in any courtroom in this country. We also have a reputation as practical, reasonable, and creative attorneys who align our strategy with the business needs of our clients. We understand that the right outcome depends upon what is truly best for our clients and that they define the result we seek.

This is the story of our law firm. We believe there is power in that story, and we appreciate your taking the time to learn it.

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      Star Litigator